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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · key · pound · bay · ruler · field · bore · race

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. race — the arms race
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. field — for sport
  8. current — electric
  9. race — a contest
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — a subject
  18. key — in music
  19. field — farmland
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. key — for a lock
  22. race — humankind
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com